Mountain
You have to admit, the power trio line-up got off to a good start with Cream. But following their first album, Cream relied on double tracking, additional instrumentation and studio effects. The music was at times, contoured, complexed and textured. This was largely due to producer Felix Pappalardi's efforts. So it was slightly ironic that Pappalardi joined a band that featured a stripped down power trio approach.
Technically, Mountain didn't start as a power trio. The group had east coast guitar maven Leslie West, Pappalardi on bass, drummer Corky Laing and Steve Knight on organ. West, who beat out Randy Bachman for the title of Rock's heaviest guitarist, played no-frills riff-Rock and he played it hard. Mountain's shining moment was the wailing "Mississippi Queen." Powered by a slashing riff and a thunderous, down in the gutter rhythm section, the song was a pure wall of sound Rocker. You can even hear Knight's organ part but only when West isn't playing (about a nano-second end of the riff). Shortly thereafter, Knight departed, and since keyboards weren't a big part of Mountain's sound, he was not replaced. It was joked that after Knight left, it was three weeks before anyone noticed.
Aside from "Mississippi Queen" Mountain also did a solid version of Jack Bruce's "Theme From A Imaginary Western" which, despite the title, was a good song. After Mountain bit the dust, Bruce provided his name and reputation to West, Bruce & Laing (guitarists always get top billing). After playing with Clapton and Baker in Cream, Bruce must have found it "interesting" to be thumping away with West and Laing.
Mountain didn't have a lot of great songs but they did have some hot moments. A riff here or a solo there. The story ended badly nearly all the way around. Pappalardi got into an argument with his wife, allegedly over fidelity issues. She fatally shot him. West, on the other hand, went on to make several guest appearances on the Howard Stern Radio show.
Mountain's first album "Mountain Climbing" is worth going after. It has "Mississippi Queen" and a cover of Jack Bruce's "Theme From an Imaginary Western." Other Mountain offerings are OK. There are a couple anthologies. "Best of Mountain" is just that. Digging deeper, there's the two CD set "Over The Top."
West, Bruce & Laing's "Why Dontcha" is as good as Mountain's best.